Suspect in Lockport slayings arrested on separate charges

Published: Monday, November 5, 2012 at 3:44 p.m.

Last Modified: Monday, November 5, 2012 at 3:44 p.m.

A man police say is responsible for stabbing a mother and her two young daughters to death Sunday in Lockport has been arrested.

David Brown, 34, of Houma and Texas, was arrested Sunday on charges of unauthorized entry and simple battery stemming from a separate incident on the night of the killings in a nearby apartment, the Lafourche Sheriff's Office said Monday afternoon.

But authorities said they believe he may also have killed Jacquelin Nieves, 29, and her two daughters, 6-year-old Gabriela and 20-month-old Izabela.

Their bodies were found during an apartment fire in the Elliott Drive complex. Lafourche Parish sheriff's officials say the fire was set to cover up the murders.

“We have compelling evidence at this point, and we are working diligently to develop additional leads and forensics that further solidify David Brown's involvement in this horrific crime,” Sheriff Craig Webre said in a statement. “As the investigation continues, we expect to bring additional charges relative to the murders and possibly additional related crimes.”

Brown has an extensive and violent criminal history dating back to 1994, deputies said. The Sheriff's Office is researching what he has been charged with and convicted of and will release that in the future.

Carlos Nieves Jr., Jacquelin's husband and the girls' father, was initially a “person of interest” in the killings, but deputies said he was cooperative and they found no evidence linking him to the deaths.

Brown is in the Lafourche Parish jail where he cannot bond out because he was on probation when Lafourche deputies arrested him, the Sheriff's Office said.

Neighbors are close

The Nieveses lived in one of a group of apartments that face each other and circle a common yard.

Neighbors said they cook and watch out for each other. They grew close after Hurricane Isaac struck, when a lack of electricity forced them outside to chat with each other and make sure each person had enough food and was safe.

It was because of their welcoming nature that Jacquelin and Carlos Nieves mingled with Jacquelin's alleged killer the night before her death, neighbors said. The residents had a block party to watch the LSU-Alabama football game. Brown's coworkers who lived in the apartment complex invited him, and Carlos Nieves went to a bar with Brown and his coworkers after the game, neighbors said.

Some tenants in the complex didn't lock their doors that night, including Leroy Hebert, who said Brown came into his home and up to his bedroom where his wife was sleeping the night of the killings. After the family, shaken by the intrusion, kicked him out, authorities woke them up a couple hours later to say their next-door neighbors' apartment had caught fire and three were dead.

“Why would someone do this to innocent people?” asked neighbor Tammy Markley.

Costin Costantin Costel, a neighbor who is originally from Ukraine and Romania, said Carlos Nieves came to wake him up when he smelled smoke. Because Carlos Nieves has lung problems, Costel ran up the stairs and saw Jacquelin Nieves and her daughters in bed and knew they were dead. He could see Gabriela was wounded, but Jacquelin didn't seem to have a mark.

Costel is employed by Bollinger Shipyards, as was Brown. Costel said he constructs ships, and Brown welded the pieces together. Costel's roommate, also a welder, became friends with Brown through work.

Brown and Costel's roommate approached him about allowing Brown to move in, but Costel told them the apartment was too small for three, Costel said. Costel was happy to help Brown find an apartment so he could move out of his Bollinger trailer until Brown told him something last week.

Brown told him Thursday he had recently been released from a Texas prison, Costel said.

“I asked, ‘What have you bee in jail for?' He said, ‘You serious?' Then he laughed and said, ‘I been in jail for murder,' ” Costel said.

Because the Sheriff's Office is still compiling Brown's criminal record, spokesman Brennan Matherne could not confirm Monday if that was the case.

Other neighbors said Monday that Brown made them uncomfortable.

He introduced himself to some people as David, and to others as “Bob,” neighbor Madonna Seymour said. He flirted with her and other women and made sexual gestures to them at the LSU-Alabama game party.

When Brown came into Hebert's home, he walked past Hebert, asleep on the coach, up the stairs to Hebert's wife in the bed, Hebert said. When she woke up, screaming that she wanted Brown out, Brown said he was looking for Hebert.

After Brown left, Hebert said he did not hear anything that night, even though his family shares a wall with the Nieveses. Hebert said he didn't smell smoke either.

The fire itself was contained, neighbors said. They didn't see flames or smoke.

Brown barely knew Jacquelin Nieves, neighbors said.

Mother was a nurse

Jacquelin was a former nurse who took a job with shorter hours at the Walmart bakery so she could take care of her children, said Hebert, who met her in school when they were children. He knows Carlos Nieves as well after working with his father, Carlos Nieves Sr., who is the pastor of Community Fellowship Church in Lockport and also runs a contracting business. Carlos Nieves Jr. was recently laid-off from his welding job and was seeking new employment.

<p>A man police say is responsible for stabbing a mother and her two young daughters to death Sunday in Lockport has been arrested.</p><p>David Brown, 34, of Houma and Texas, was arrested Sunday on charges of unauthorized entry and simple battery stemming from a separate incident on the night of the killings in a nearby apartment, the Lafourche Sheriff's Office said Monday afternoon.</p><p>But authorities said they believe he may also have killed Jacquelin Nieves, 29, and her two daughters, 6-year-old Gabriela and 20-month-old Izabela.</p><p>Their bodies were found during an apartment fire in the Elliott Drive complex. Lafourche Parish sheriff's officials say the fire was set to cover up the murders.</p><p>“We have compelling evidence at this point, and we are working diligently to develop additional leads and forensics that further solidify David Brown's involvement in this horrific crime,” Sheriff Craig Webre said in a statement. “As the investigation continues, we expect to bring additional charges relative to the murders and possibly additional related crimes.”</p><p>Brown has an extensive and violent criminal history dating back to 1994, deputies said. The Sheriff's Office is researching what he has been charged with and convicted of and will release that in the future.</p><p>Carlos Nieves Jr., Jacquelin's husband and the girls' father, was initially a “person of interest” in the killings, but deputies said he was cooperative and they found no evidence linking him to the deaths.</p><p>Brown is in the Lafourche Parish jail where he cannot bond out because he was on probation when Lafourche deputies arrested him, the Sheriff's Office said.</p><h3>Neighbors are close</h3>
<p>The Nieveses lived in one of a group of apartments that face each other and circle a common yard. </p><p>Neighbors said they cook and watch out for each other. They grew close after Hurricane Isaac struck, when a lack of electricity forced them outside to chat with each other and make sure each person had enough food and was safe.</p><p>It was because of their welcoming nature that Jacquelin and Carlos Nieves mingled with Jacquelin's alleged killer the night before her death, neighbors said. The residents had a block party to watch the LSU-Alabama football game. Brown's coworkers who lived in the apartment complex invited him, and Carlos Nieves went to a bar with Brown and his coworkers after the game, neighbors said.</p><p>Some tenants in the complex didn't lock their doors that night, including Leroy Hebert, who said Brown came into his home and up to his bedroom where his wife was sleeping the night of the killings. After the family, shaken by the intrusion, kicked him out, authorities woke them up a couple hours later to say their next-door neighbors' apartment had caught fire and three were dead.</p><p>“Why would someone do this to innocent people?” asked neighbor Tammy Markley.</p><p>Costin Costantin Costel, a neighbor who is originally from Ukraine and Romania, said Carlos Nieves came to wake him up when he smelled smoke. Because Carlos Nieves has lung problems, Costel ran up the stairs and saw Jacquelin Nieves and her daughters in bed and knew they were dead. He could see Gabriela was wounded, but Jacquelin didn't seem to have a mark.</p><p>When Carlos Nieves saw his youngest daughter, he passed out, Costel said.</p><p>“Which is best,” Costel said, shaking his head. “You don't want to see that.”</p><p>Costel is employed by Bollinger Shipyards, as was Brown. Costel said he constructs ships, and Brown welded the pieces together. Costel's roommate, also a welder, became friends with Brown through work.</p><p>Brown and Costel's roommate approached him about allowing Brown to move in, but Costel told them the apartment was too small for three, Costel said. Costel was happy to help Brown find an apartment so he could move out of his Bollinger trailer until Brown told him something last week.</p><p>Brown told him Thursday he had recently been released from a Texas prison, Costel said.</p><p>“I asked, 'What have you bee in jail for?' He said, 'You serious?' Then he laughed and said, 'I been in jail for murder,' ” Costel said.</p><p>“When you say, 'murder,' you don't laugh,” Costel said. “You don't smile. It's not something to be proud of. I didn't want him around.”</p><p>Because the Sheriff's Office is still compiling Brown's criminal record, spokesman Brennan Matherne could not confirm Monday if that was the case. </p><p>Other neighbors said Monday that Brown made them uncomfortable. </p><p>He introduced himself to some people as David, and to others as “Bob,” neighbor Madonna Seymour said. He flirted with her and other women and made sexual gestures to them at the LSU-Alabama game party.</p><p>When Brown came into Hebert's home, he walked past Hebert, asleep on the coach, up the stairs to Hebert's wife in the bed, Hebert said. When she woke up, screaming that she wanted Brown out, Brown said he was looking for Hebert.</p><p>After Brown left, Hebert said he did not hear anything that night, even though his family shares a wall with the Nieveses. Hebert said he didn't smell smoke either.</p><p>The fire itself was contained, neighbors said. They didn't see flames or smoke.</p><p>Brown barely knew Jacquelin Nieves, neighbors said.</p><h3>Mother was a nurse</h3>
<p>Jacquelin was a former nurse who took a job with shorter hours at the Walmart bakery so she could take care of her children, said Hebert, who met her in school when they were children. He knows Carlos Nieves as well after working with his father, Carlos Nieves Sr., who is the pastor of Community Fellowship Church in Lockport and also runs a contracting business. Carlos Nieves Jr. was recently laid-off from his welding job and was seeking new employment.</p><p>The Nieveses, Hebert said, were “friendly, happy, energetic.” Gabriela went to Lockport Lower Elementary.</p><p>Izabela had just learned to say his name, Costel said.</p><p>Hebert said he and his wife spent all Monday sleeping. He couldn't go to work because of the grief.</p><p>“I've never slept this long,” he said. “I'm torn up. … It's heartbreaking.”</p><p>Neighbor Markley and her sister Jackie Perez, of Cut Off, said they can't comprehend why someone would kill Jacquelin, let alone her children.</p><p>“What's shocking to everybody was the kids,” Markley said.</p><p>“It's bad if it happens to anybody,” Perez said. “But why a child?”</p><p>Staff Writer Katie Urbaszewski can be reached at 448-7617 or Katie.urbaszewski@dailycomet.com.</p>